A United Kingdom-based Guyanese woman was yesterday charged with attempting to smuggle a quantity of cocaine, hidden in bottles of rum, out of the country at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Tuesday.
Vanessa Moore, 43, who resides in London and who stayed at Murphy Street, Good Intent, West Bank Demerara while in Guyana, was refused bail when she appeared in a Georgetown court.
It is alleged that on November 3rd, at CJIA, Timehri, Moore had in her possession 2.9 kilogrammes of cocaine for trafficking. The unrepresented woman pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was read to her by Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Police Prosecutor Corporal Bharat Mangru said Moore was an ongoing passenger on a Caribbean Airlines flight destined for Port-of-Spain and then on to London. However, before she could board the flight she was subjected to a search. It was during the search, he said, that two bottles of locally-produced rum were found in her suitcase and a further search revealed that the bottles contained the cocaine.
She was told of the offence and under caution informed ranks that it was her boyfriend who gave her the cocaine to transport to London, he added.
Mangru objected to bail, while noting that no special reasons were provided to the court.
As a result, bail was refused and the matter was adjourned to November 11th, a date which was set for the commencement of trial.